Contact member



Oct. 27, 1942. A. c. PETERS CONTACT MEMBERS v Filed Oct. 17; 1940 r 611 :2362; g WWJ AA,

v lnveniiar flribu Patented Oct. 27, 1942 V OFFICE CONTACT MEMBER.

Arthur C. Peters, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Cinch Manufacturing Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application October 17, 1940, Serial No. 361,561

1 Claim.

apparent from inspection of the drawing and specification hereinbelow set forth.

Referring to the drawing, in which I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention: Fig. l is a top plan view of a socket member having my improved contact members assembled therewith;

Fig. 2 is a bottom shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view showing one of the insulating plan view of the socket plates of the socket member;

Fig. 4 is a front plan of the contact member per se;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 and showing a prong-like-terminal in electrical engagement with the contact member;

Fig. 6 iSjS. side elevation of the contact member shown in ,Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a top view of the contact member per se; and

Fig. 8 is a section Fig. 5.

The socket member which I have chosen for purposes of illustrating my invention is in the form of a device comprising top and bottom in-' sulating plates l and 2. The socket member carr'ies a central positioning key 3, the mechanical details of which form no part of my present invention. The positioning key, which may be tubular in form, extends through the insulating plates l and 2 substantially centrally thereof and is adapted to receive a positioning prong (not shown) of a vacuum tube. The key, in my preferred form, is constructed to provide portions engaging the outer surface 4 of the insulating plate I and the outer surface 5 of the insulating plate 2 to maintain the plates in assembly. A series of my improved contact terminals 6 is carried by the socket member for cooperative electrical engagement with a series of terminal prongs 6 (Figs. 5 and 8) depending from the base of a vacuum tube (not shown). The lower plate 2 of my preferred form of socket member taken on the line 8-8 of has a central opening 1 for receiving the adore- 5 .said positioning key and series of apertures 8 arranged in a circle around the central opening 1 for receiving prong-engaging portions of the contact members 6. The'apertures 8 are generally rectangular in form and preferably have opposed notches 9 of curved configuration in their longitudinal edges. The plate 2 has a series of slots l0 complementary to the openings 8 for receiving soldering terminals of the contact members. The insulating plate I has a central opening ll (Fig. l) in alignment with the opening I of the plate 2 and a series of circular openings l2 arranged in a circle around the opening II and in alignment with the openings 8 of the lower plate 2.

Referring in detail to the contact members 6, I have shown one formed entirely from one piece of sheet metal and providing a substantially flat base portion l 3 having-a prong-receiving opening I4 (Fig. '7). An annular lip l5 drawn from the material of the base I3 surrounds the opening l4 and extends on the lower side of the base I 3, viewing Fig. 4. Opposed arm portions l6 extend from opposed edges of the base outwardly away from the base on the lower side thereof. Each of the arm portions 18 has a yieldable portion l1 extending outwardly away from the base and a portion l8 integral with the outermost end of the portion ll extending reversely'toward the base on the inner side of the portion 11 and spaced from the portion ll for the greateiapart of its length. The portions [8 are disposed in opposite relation to receive a prong terminal between them and are in alignment with the opening [4 of the base toe gage the prong terminal projected through the opening M, as most clearly shown in Figs. 5 and 8. Portions I9 adjacent the free ends of the reversely extending portions I 8 diverge and engage the outwardly extending portions l1 substantially at the junctions thereof with the base l3, as most clearly shown in Fig. 4. The diverging portions l9 cooperate to provide a lead to facilitate engagement of the prong terminal between the portions l8l8 and, also, to act as cams to eflect expansion of the portions H, as will be described. A tail portion 20 integrally joined to the base I 3 extends on' the same side of the base as the arms l8 and is formed to enable a lead wire (not shown) to be soldered thereto.

In assembling my improved contact member with the insulating plates, the contact member is positioned relative *to the plate 2 with the base l3 abutting the inner surface 2| (Fig. 3) of the plate and the tail portion 20 projecting through one of the slots [0. when the contact member is in this position the lip It extends into the aperture 8 so as to be disposed within the imaginary circle partially defined by the curved walls of the notches 9-9 and the arms lS-li also lie within the aperture I, as most clearly shown in Fig. 2. Finally, the'upper plate I is secured in superposed relation to the lower plate 2 by any suitable means such as the center eyelet or positioning key 3, thereby maintaining the contact members in assembly with the insulating parts of the socket.

Operation of the contact members to engage cooperating prong terminals of a vacuum tube is most clearly shown in Figs. 5 and 8. Thus, when a prong terminal 6" of the vacuum tube is moved into electrical connection with a contact member 6, it projects through the opening I of the base I3 of one of the contacts and engages the diverging portions IQ of the arms IS. The diverging portions l9 lead the prong into more extended engagement with the portions 18 and at the same time act as cams, which, when the terminal 6" is pressed home, cause the outwardly extending portions I! to swing outwardly in a pivotal movement from points substantially near their points of junction with the base I3. The tendency of the portions H to return toward normal position effects a spring engagement between the reversely extending portions l8 of the arms and the contacts 6, thereby making a good electrical connection.

Thus by my invention I have provided contact members which may be manufactured inexpenslvely in large quantities and which are formed to provide portions capable of exerting a strong and constant spring tension on prong terminals inthe manner hereinabove described.

Although I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, I do not wish to be limited thereby because the scope of my invention is best'deflned by the following claim. j

I claim:

An electrical contact of the class described comprising a base formed with a prong-receiving opening and a surrounding lip providing a prongreceiving and engaging sleeve, a plurality of spaced spring arms extending angularly from said base on opposite sides of said sleeve and embracing said sleeve between them, the end portions of said arms being inwardly curved to provide substantially rigid loop portions the ends of which terminate in engagement with said arms and adjacent said sleeve, the opposite inner faces of said curved loop portions presenting concavoconvexed cam surfaces adjacent said sleeve Ior engaging the prong member under tension of said spring arms for effecting an electrical connection between said prong and the sleeve and curved loop portions of the contact.

ARTHUR C. PETERS. 

